Homeless in Tokyo - Living without an address (2003)

After Japan's worst recession in 50 years and astronomically high rents, the number of homeless people in Tokyo skyrocketed. Along the banks of the Sumida and in parks, new "permanent" cardboard villages were constantly springing up with frightening dynamism. The makeshift dwellings also proliferated in prominent locations: near temples and the edges of public parks, wherever there were toilets. The lowest form of housing were cardboard boxes, which provided a "bed" for a few hours at night in subway stations. It was extremely difficult to get close to the box men with the camera (they don't beg) (thanks to Philipp Ernst, who translated perfectly). The pictures were taken in 2003/2004 as part of a grant from the Bundesstiftung VG BildKunst.